1. Brief Description Of The Prior Art
Heretofore, when trees or shrubs have been planted, it has generally been thought sufficiently important to provide an adequate water supply for the roots of the plant that an earthen dam is constructed around the base of the plant at a radial distance of from one to five feet from the trunk of the plant. In some instances, the tree planter or the gardener who is to construct the dam removes soil for this purpose from a location too closely adjacent the trunk of the tree, thus risking some exposure of the roots of the tree.
Such dams or water impoundment structures, when formed of earth, and generally by the use of a spade to build up the earth, are susceptible to destruction or malfunction where heavy rains occur, and the soil within the dam or water impoundment is washed away to cause cuts or creases through the dam.
In some instances, the soil which is to be placed in the dam or water impoundment structure is located at a remote location with respect to the plant where the dam or water impoundment structure is to be formed. In these cases, the soil at the remote location is spaded up, or dug with other earth removing implements, placed on a truck and brought to the locus of the tree or plant where it is off-loaded and formed into the shape of the earthen dam or water impoundment structure.
2. Brief Description Of The Present Invention
The present invention provides an improved damming and barrier-forming device which can be used to establish a dam around the trunk or base of a tree or plant which will confine water to a location immediately adjacent the tree or plant and thus water the roots. The damming and barrier-forming device is self-contained and can be easily and quickly placed in position, and will retain soil forming a part of the device at the desired location over an extended period of time. Moreover, the damming and barrier-forming device can be picked up and re-shaped and even used on different trees at different times.
Broadly described, the damming and barrier-forming device of the invention includes an elongated, porous, preferably biodegradable fabric tube which is closable at one or preferably both ends, and which has a diameter of from about four inches to about two feet, and a length of at least four feet. In general, the larger the diameter of the fabric tube, the longer will be the length of the tube. The elongated fabric tube, which can typically be constructed of burlap, is filled with earth after one of its ends has been closed to prevent the earth from falling out of the tube. After the tube has been filled with earth, it is then laid in a desired configuration adjacent or around a tree or shrub which is to be nourished and sustained by water impounded behind, or within, the damming and barrier-forming device.
In one method of use of the device, it is first placed by the user on a reel in a length sufficient to form a dam, levy, barrier or impoundment of the various lengths which may be desired. It is then pulled off of the reel to a selected length, and that much of the tube is cut away from that which remains on the reel. One end of the severed section of tube is then closed by binder twine or other material which is provided at spaced intervals along the tube. The tube is then filled with dirt by the use of a trowel, small hand shovel or spade. The earth may be any type which is preferred for use on the ground around the tree or shrub in forming a dam or water impoundment. The filled tube is then curved or shaped into an arcuate configuration around the base of the tree or shrub so that it functions effectively to retain water at a desired location. It will generally be spaced away from the trunk of the tree by a selected distance. If the ground upon which it is laid is very hard, it may be desirable to dig a very small trench to lay it in. The ends of the tube preferably overlap and abut each other in order to optimize the performance of the tube. Due to the capability of the tube to withstand repetitive use on several different plants, the slight overlap (due to additional length of the tube not needed for a particular tree or shrub) may be needed at a slightly larger tree or shrub adjacent which the damming or barrier-forming structure of the invention is next to be used. The overlap also allows the dirt in adjacent, overlapped and touching end portions to bond together and prevent water leakage at this location.
An important object of the present invention is to provide a damming device which can be quickly and easily used by unskilled persons for the purpose of forming an effective, environmentally acceptable barrier adjacent a tree or shrub which is to be provided with a source of water impounded by the device.
Another object of the invention is to provide a soil containing tube which can be easily and manually shaped into a desired configuration, including one or more arcuate portions, and which has a long and trouble free operating life.
A further object of the invention is to provide a damming and barrier-forming device in the form of an elongated generally cylindrical tube which can be wrapped around the base of a tree or shrub which has just been planted in order to provide an adequate water supply to that plant as water is impounded by the tube.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrates one embodiment of the invention.